


Somebody Loves You

by honeysucklepink



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M, Missing Scene, Season/Series 06
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-04 09:21:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 13,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5328923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeysucklepink/pseuds/honeysucklepink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My "nice" Klaine Advent 2015 fic: missing scenes from Glee Season Six. Chapter titles are the prompts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shift

**Author's Note:**

> I received many requests to rearrange the chapters so that they were in chronological order, so while the advent prompts are no longer in order (obviously I wrote them alphabetically as they came in), I hope this makes it easier for you as a reader!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place pre-6.01, "Loser Like Me" (before the second break up).

When Rachel got the call that would send her to Hollywood, Kurt and Blaine were ecstatic for her…and a little bit for themselves.

For the first time it would truly be just the two of them; with just about everyone else gone, they could finally see what it would be like to be a cohabiting couple. No Rachel using all the hot water in the morning while she did her vocal warm-ups in the shower, no Sam crashing on the couch or staying late for Call of Duty tournaments, no Santana rifling through all their belongings trying to find things to humiliate them with. No one to come barrelling through the door to walk in on them doing what newly left-to-their-own-devices couples do.

Just to play it safe, however, they  _did_  get a lock on the loft door.

For the first few weeks it was nearly perfect. They pretty much “christened” every sitting, sleeping and dining surface of the loft. Kurt took on an extra shift a week at the Spotlight and still volunteered at the Lexington Retirement Home; Blaine decided to take summer classes, in an effort to be caught up with Kurt so they could still graduate the same year. They even made sure to catch up with Artie a couple of times a week, hosting Monday dinner at the loft; Elliot came by a couple of times when he wasn’t traveling.

Then things began to shift.

Blaine decided it was time to at least get some ideas together about the wedding; a lot would depend on the time of year, location, and he hated to say, the courts (gay marriage was still banned in Ohio and it would probably be the next summer before SCOTUS settled the question once and for all). He started bringing home wedding magazines for Kurt to look at, only to see them pile up on the coffee table. Knowing that Kurt had a whole hope chest back in Lima full of wedding ideas, he shrugged it off as Kurt simply wanting to revisit those.

Until Kurt  _complained_  about Blaine leaving the magazines on the coffee table. He relented, gathered them up, and put them in Rachel’s old room.

Then, it seemed, he was complaining about  _everything_. The July heat and how it made the subway stations unbearable, the electric bill and who controlled the thermostat, a dish left out on the counter. After one particularly bad Monday night dinner, where the ceviche had been left out too long and one blamed the other, Artie refused to come back until, quote, “y’all sort your damn issues out.” When they weren’t fighting, they were avoiding each other so they  _wouldn’t_ fight.

Still, Blaine pushed through. He thought that maybe it was just the long engagement; maybe if they got married sooner, like Labor Day, things would be okay. That’s what he was thinking when he left the Mercer Kitchen; as rainclouds began to gather, he opened his umbrella, bursting with the good news.

He was  _sure_  this would perk Kurt up.


	2. Broadway

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place pre-6.01, "Loser Like Me." This is an angsty one.

This was worse than the first time.

The first time he and Kurt broke up, Blaine thought it had been hell, one that he would never survive. But in the end he did; he had Sam and Tina and the rest of the New Directions, he had his parents, and understanding teachers at McKinley, save for Sue Sylvester.

Now he had no one. Rachel was in L.A., Mercedes and Brittany were on tour, and Sam had gone back to Ohio. There was Artie but he was spending a semester in the field for an intensive documentary seminar. All that was left was...yeah, and he didn’t have him anymore. At least Elliot was kind enough to let Blaine house-sit-slash-sublet while he was at Burning Man.

There was no support, not even at NYADA, where he was now finding out, sitting in Carmen Thibodeaux's office, you were expected to be cut throat...or they cut bait. 

“Mr. Anderson, I just don’t see how we can resolve this. When we offered you admittance to the Academy, it was based not only on your impressive transcripts and your audition piece, which was outstanding even by the toughest standards, but on what we perceived to be your ability to put the necessary work in, and to eventually join the many acclaimed alumni now gracing Broadway and West End stages.”

“Dean Thibodeaux, last semester I…”

“But it’s not last semester anymore, Mr. Anderson. We are talking about the here and now, and the last few weeks, where I have seen a precipitous drop both in attendance and in quality of work...when you actually turn in your assignments, a rarity according to your instructors.”

“I’m...sorry. It’s just been...things have been hard.”

“Yes, I’ve heard. You think I’m not plugged in to the gossip grapevine? Heartbreak is no excuse; if anything, tapping into it is what should make you a great Broadway performer. The fact you haven’t...well that’s another sign that perhaps, we were hasty in our acceptance. I’m sorry, Mr. Anderson...”

Blaine bowed his head. He had no more fight left in him. Maybe going home would be for the best...at least Kurt wouldn’t be there physically haunting the hallways.

“I’m afraid I have no choice but to dismiss you from the program.”


	3. Guide

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place after the break-up, before 6.01, "Loser Like Me."
> 
> Kurt's words are in ITALICS.
> 
> Blaine's are in BOLD.
> 
> The therapists's are in QUOTES.

“So, why are you here today?”

_That’s…a good question._

**I think I need some…guidance?**

_I think I’ve made a huge mistake._

**I feel like my life has fallen apart.**

_I need to go back to the start I guess…_

**A few months ago, my fiance and I broke up.**

_We were high school sweethearts, but we were also a year apart. When I came to New York he stayed behind._

**I thought that now that we were in the same city we could make it work.**

_I thought we could make a long-distance relationship work, but then he cheated on me._

**We had broken up before because the distance was too much.**

_I understand now why he did it, but it was still devastating. He was my best friend, I couldn’t lose him._

**Being apart from the man I loved was torture…he was my anchor.**

_We were slowly working our way back to each other…and suddenly BAM, we were engaged._

**Maybe everyone was right, we were probably too young, but at the time I couldn’t imagine ever loving someone as much as I loved him.**

_It was all so overwhelming, I mean I had gotten so used to having the city on my own, and then here he was, sharing it with me…_

**But I guess it wasn’t enough.**

_I guess we didn’t see it happening because we had roommates and friends buffering us._

**But once they were gone, that’s when the fighting really started.**

_He felt like he was falling behind me, but he forgets that I felt the same way…_

**I got depressed, I couldn’t eat or sleep…my grades suffered.**

_I mean he got everything in high school handed to him that I fought for and failed to get…lead in the play, class president…_

**Finally the school had no choice but to expel me.**

_I know, it’s petty for me to be this bitter, but why couldn’t he see what I saw?_

**I came home, but nothing’s the same…**

_I was suffocating, I lashed out…I don’t even think I intended to break up with him until it was over._

**My dad left, my mom is devastated…**

_We were still living with each other, so we were tiptoeing on eggshells. Finally he went to stay at a mutual friend’s place._

**I’ve gotten an offer from Dalton, but I don’t know if I should take it…**

_I didn’t even know he’d flunked out until I heard it from Dean Thibodeaux._

**Because Dalton is where I fell in love with Kurt.**

_I tried to move on. I focused on school, work._

**Yes, I did have a life there before him. Sometimes, I wonder if I should have left.**

_It’s hard, not seeing Blaine in the hallways. I thought dating would help…_

**Maybe the Warblers wouldn’t have gotten so corrupt if I had stayed. I wouldn’t have let Hunter and Sebastian twist it the way they did.**

_All it did was make me realize how selfish and self-centered I had been._

**I could go back and undo the damage, maybe?**

_He needed me to be a guide and partner and I failed._

**I think they could be great again…they just need someone to guide them.**

_I just wish I could take it back. Done it all differently._

**What do I need? I…don’t know.**

“Maybe that’s a good place to start. I think that’s enough for today.”


	4. Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place right after “It’s Too Late,” in 6.03, “Jagged Little Tapestry.”

Blaine couldn’t get his head on straight.

A part of him was still mad,  _fuming_  even, over Rachel and Kurt’s subterfuge in getting Jane to join New Directions. He had used every bit of pull and influence (and some healthy misogyny-shaming on the Warblers themselves) to get her a spot…for  _nothing_.

And still, seeing Kurt at Between the Sheets ( _God, who names a music store that? The juxtaposition of those images…_ ) had brought up a storm of emotions. He remembered that this was where he had met that guy he texted, the one that nearly broke them their last year at McKinley together. But still, he was handsome and witty as ever, had explicitly said just a couple of weeks ago, “I’m going to win you back.” 

He had to get out of there, find a means of escape; thank God Dave was there.

“Well, Dave has an early class tomorrow, so we’re gonna go,” Blaine said. “Bye Kurt.”

“Yeah, sure,” Kurt returned. Blaine couldn’t help but notice Kurt’s expression, a mix of discomfort and regret.

_Good_.

As they walked out of the store, Dave took Blaine’s hand, and he immediately calmed. He knew it was a little possessive on Dave’s part, but it made him feel secure and grounded, and that wasn’t so bad. If only he could feel that way more often.

“So, I had a good time tonight.”

“It’s always a good time with you, Boo-Boo,” Dave said. “Sorry we have to cut this short, but it’s already pretty late and I have that drive.”

“I know. Ugh, and I always have to tip-toe around the house when I get home,” Blaine groaned. He loved his mom, but since his dad left he felt more obligation than need to stay, and his therapist had told him he needed to put his needs first. One of the things that had gone wrong with Kurt…

_God, there was Kurt in his head again.._.he needed to  _stop_  this. How could he escape? Maybe…

“Dave, we’ve been dating for a few months now, and I was wondering,”  _maybe the more time I spend with you, the easier it will be to forget Kurt._  “if maybe it’s time for us to take this up a level?”

“What, you mean like moving in together?”

“Uh…yeah, getting a place, together.” Blaine said. “We could find a place halfway between campus and Dalton, we wouldn’t have to worry about whether we go to my house and try to be quiet, or your dorm and deal with your roommates. We’d just be home…together. All the time.”  _And more time with you means less time pre-occupied with why my ex-fiance won’t leave town,_  he thought.

Dave pulled Blaine into his arms, kissing him sweetly on the lips. “That’s actually a great idea, Boo. Tell you what; we can both go on apartments.com, we’ll send each other some links then talk about them tomorrow night?”

“Sounds great,” Blaine smiled, kissing Dave again before he climbed into his truck and drove away.

Blaine got into his car, turned the key, and looked back across to the music store. He caught a glimpse of Kurt at the register.  _Nothing wrong with escaping a bad situation if the need arises,_  he heard his therapist say, as he pulled out of the parking space.


	5. Fan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takes place right after Brittana's engagement in 6.03, “Jagged Little Tapestry.”

“Coach Sue, you wanted to see me?”

“Yes Brittany,” Sue said, removing her glasses and motioning to the chairs in front of her desk. “Take a seat.”

Brittany sat, as Sue stood up. “So, I understand congratulations are in order. I know for a fact that you and Santana are going to be very happy together.”

“If we can have just a fraction of the love that Lord and Lady Tubbington have for each other…without the fights over gambling debt, of course…we will be very lucky.” Brittany then pouted slightly. “I don’t think Kurt was happy, though.”

“Well, why would he?” Sue exclaimed, flailing her arms up. “I mean, he can use the ‘too young’ excuse all he wants but it’s only to mask the pain of knowing he threw away the greatest love of his life. And poor, poor Young Tom Cruise, so bereft of joy and sense of worth he dropped out of school and took up with the guy who bullied my sweet Porcelain into his arms in the first place? Ugh, it would be confusing if it weren’t so tragic.”

“I was so sad when they broke up,” Brittany said. “I was a big fan of their relationship.”

“Brittany, you will never,  _ever_ , meet a bigger fan of ‘Klaine’ than one Sue Sylvester.” She turned back to her desk and pulled out her diary, turning to a marked page. “Which is a good thing, because those two need someone like me. Someone just savvy, manipulative, and driven enough to get them back together. And you’re gonna help me.”

“Yes!” Brittany bounced in her seat and clapped. “What can I do?”

“Well, I just found out that Blaine and Dave moved in together,” Sue said, shuddering. “So here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to offer to decorate their new place, which means they’ll need to give you a key. I need you to get me a copy of that key. Just whatever you do, don’t put a bed in there.”

“How do you want me to decorate it?”

“Brittany, just make it as gay and as colorful as you,” Sue smiled. “Then, I want you to tell Kurt about them living together. It’ll be hard, but Brittany you have to encourage him to give up and put himself out there.”

Brittany was confused. ”But Coach Sue, I thought we wanted them back together; why do you want Kurt to date someone else?”

“So he’ll know that there is no one else for him. A little ‘reverse Sue-cology,’ if you will. Just get him signed up for one of those dating sites…I’ll take care of the rest.”

“Okay. Can I go now?”

“Yes, Brittany, just keep me informed and I’ll let you know what comes next.”

As Brittany left, Sue looked fondly on her. She and Santana were one of her legacy couples after all. And she was bound and determined that her Totally Unambiguously Gay Duo, Klaine, got to the altar as well. She made a note to call her old pal Edward Snowden about the hack she would need soon. Then she picked up her phone and dialed a number. “Ohio Fish and Wildlife? I need to see about getting a live bear…”


	6. Question

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place during 6.04, after the bear incident.

Kurt sat in front of his computer, staring at the “MeetYourMatch.com” questionnaire in front of him. Brittany insisted it was the best site, though as far as he knew she had never tried online dating, so how would she know? Still, he thought, she was probably right. Blaine had moved on with Dave; maybe it was time for him to try as well.

He read the first question aloud to himself: “ _‘Other than appearance, what is the first thing that people notice about you?’_  Hmmm, I’d like to think my fashion-sense? No, that would be too close to appearance.  _How I carry myself. My confidence_ …yeah, that works. So far so good!”

He made his way through the questions easily enough, though some were harder than others, especially those that asked about past relationships, and what he wanted to avoid in the future. He finished the profile, uploaded his picture (the headshot he had done for the Lexington Retirement Home production of ‘Peter Pan’), and hit “Save.”

“Well, Hummel, all there is to do is wait for a response,” he said to himself, closing the laptop and going to bed.

The next afternoon, he checked his email, surprised to find a message from a possible suitor. His finger hovered over the mouse, the cursor sitting above the hyperlink that read “Click here to meet your match!”

Filling out the profile had been one thing, but this…this would be another step toward a new future. A step further away from Blaine. He held his breath and clicked.

His name was Walter. Hmm…kind of an old-fashioned name. Then again, Kurt always felt a kinship with those older than him. He was happy to see they shared many of the same interests, beliefs, hobbies. The man was also quite handsome, though probably a bit older than Kurt would normally date…probably 30 or so? Eh, what was ten years?

He stared at the button that said “Message your Match!”

“Can I do this? I mean, for all I know it could be some creep. Or, it could be who I’m really supposed to be with? Maybe a good rebound, at least…”

***  
 _Flashback to the darkened Principal’s Office at McKinley…_

“Alright Eddie, what you got for me?”

“Well, I hacked into the main database for MeetYourMatch.com, and found all the profiles that the system matched Hummel with. Then I tracked their IP addresses, and while most of them all seemed pretty legit, one didn’t quite match up.”

“Lay it on me, Snowy.”

“The IP address is for a Walter Gray, who according to the Social Security records I found is around 50 years old. But he doesn’t list his age in his profile, and the picture he’s using has got to be at least 20 years old. That or he has an excellent plastic surgeon and loves using Instagram filters.”

“Perfect!“ Sue Sylvester stood up from her desk and picked up the family tree she had doctored. “Delete all the other matches and make sure to send notification emails to Porcelain and that Walter guy. I’m late for a reservation at Breadstix with Gellylocks and about 20 hungry bears.”


	7. Indecent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takes place right after Invitationals in “The Hurt Locker Part Two.”

After the bizarre award ceremony concluded, Kurt went to look for Blaine, finding him consoling the Warblers.

“Guys, don’t worry about it. From what everyone else said your performance was outstanding, nearly flawless. Besides, you can’t take anything Sue Sylvester says seriously. In retrospect, no, this farce of an invitational technically didn’t count. I think it would be indecent to say it did otherwise. But you came into this swinging, and that’s the attitude we need going into Sectionals.” Blaine turned and caught Kurt’s eye. “Now you guys get on the bus, I’ll meet you there in a few minutes.”

Kurt and Blaine walked toward each other. “You know, I hate I missed the Warblers performance, too,” Kurt said. “Rachel said your group is going to give us serious competition at Sectionals.”

“Hey, don’t sell your kids short. I see a lot of potential up there…that Roderick kid? That voice of his is killer. And it was nice to see Kitty.” Blaine grew melancholy. “God, I just hate what Sue did, forcing everyone to transfer. What you guys could have done adding what you have now with Unique’s voice, Jake and Ryder’s dance moves, Marley’s songs?”

“I know,” Kurt sighed. “Speaking of indecent, Sue’s entire existence I think qualifies.” He looked down, his hands in his pockets. “Look, I think we need to talk about…what happened.”

“You mean that kiss?” Blaine asked, anticipating the answer.

“Yeah,  _that_ kiss,” Kurt nodded. “That was, um…some kiss.”

“Well, um,” Blaine rubbed the back of his neck. “It, uh, sure got those doors to open, that’s for sure.”

“Yeah.” The awkwardness of the situation spoke volumes. “Well, I think we need to call out Sue tomorrow. Provide a united front, that she can’t do this, twist people’s lives like this.”

“I completely agree,” Blaine said. “But, you know…”

“Oh God please don’t make an excuse for her…”

“I’m not, believe me. But, being there with you, just being…for the first time in a long time, I wasn’t angry at you. Just talking, playing stupid games, eating with you, it felt…good. Like maybe we could, I don’t know, be friends again.”

Kurt felt like a weight had been lifted, a little. “I’d like that,” he said. “I’m tired of us being sad and angry and weird around each other.”

“Me too.” Blaine leaned in and hugged him. Kurt stiffened at first, then relaxed. The hug was all too brief. “Well, I need to get the guys back to Dalton, regroup, you know.”

“Okay. So tomorrow morning, we’ll meet here then go confront Sue?”

“See you then.” And Blaine walked away.

Kurt went to find Rachel, bracing himself for the interrogation he was sure she would deliver.


	8. Wish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place during 6.06, "What The World Needs Now"

It had been a few days since the Elevator Incident and the ensuing confrontation with Sue. Kurt had been texting with Blaine back and forth since then; about show choir shenanigans, the new Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga album, the latest Brooks Brothers collection, pretty much anything  _but_  the kiss, or the past, or Karofsky. For Kurt, it was easy to rebuild a friendship this way.

In person, however, he found it to be more difficult.

When Mercedes gathered them all in her plan to make Rachel homesick for New York, and apologized for bringing Blaine into it, he told her afterward to not apologize. After all, Blaine was Rachel’s friend too, and in fact he was glad they were able to be there for each other. But when Blaine walked into the auditorium to rehearse their number, he couldn’t avoid the look on Blaine’s face every time he glanced in Kurt’s direction. As much as they wished and hoped that the kiss meant nothing, it was the elephant in the room.

Kurt sang to himself, as no one else in the room paid attention:

 _The look of love is in your eyes_  
_The look, your smile can’t disguise_  
 _The look of love, it’s saying so much more_  
 _Than just words could ever say_  
 _And what my heart has heard, well it takes my breath away_

Every time he caught Blaine looking at him, he would turn away. But there was no denying that there was still something there.  _Damn Sue._ Things would have been fine, they could have moved on, were it not for her role in reigniting that spark.

 _I can hardly wait to hold you, feel my arms around you_  
_How long I have waited, waited just to love you_  
 _Now that I have found you_

_There is always something there to remind me  
Always something there to remind me_

He was grateful when they set up the choreography so that he wouldn’t have to look at Blaine too much (plus they were supposed to focus on Rachel, anyway). Still, when Blaine stepped forward to ask her what she thought of the performance, all he could think of were all the other times they had shared this stage.

 _When shadows fall, I pass a small cafe where we would dance at night,_  
_And I can’t help recalling how it felt to kiss and hold you tight,_  
 _Oh how can I forget you boy, when there’s_  
 _The look of love, is on your face_  
 _A look that time can’t erase_

_I was born to love him, and I will never be free  
You’ll always be a part of me_

As it turned out, they would share the stage twice more that week. “When did this go from ‘Burt Bacharach Week’ to ‘Support Old Glee Club Pals in their Life Transitions Week’?” he asked Sam. It did get easier to be around Blaine…just slightly. When Blaine said that family “sees the pain in your eyes, even when you think you’re fooling everyone else,” Kurt for one wasn’t fooled.

_There is always something there to remind me  
Always something there to remind me_

He was happy to give his best wishes to Santana and Brittany; he realized now how much his objections stemmed from his own heartbreak. Seeing Blaine at the door of the Schuester’s that evening, especially without Karofsky, just reminded him further.

_[Burt Bacharach songs in mashup:[The Look of Love](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf1d65OHYXo) and [Always Something There to Remind Me](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kfNPAVYx1k)]_


	9. Jumble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place in 6.07 “Transitioning” after spinning the ‘Duet Wheel of Destiny.’

Blaine knew he could be a little… _unobservant_ sometimes (for example, the obvious-from-space-in-retrospect crush Tina had on him senior year), but he was no fool. Kurt was standing just a little  _too_ close to that wheel, and the pause of the click between his and Artie’s names was just a little  _too_ long. 

Still, he and Kurt were determined to be friends.  _Just_ friends. Good, close friends that also happened to have an intense and jumbled romantic history. Which was why he didn’t want Dave to know about their impending duet…he thought it would just complicate things further.

And yet Blaine asked Kurt to meet him  _at Dalton_  to discuss and rehearse their song.  _Talk about complicated._  He was in his office, grabbing possible selections out of file cabinets when he heard that unmistakable voice.

“Knock, knock! Wow, nice digs you got here,” Kurt whistled, ambling into the space, looking around at everything  _but_ at Blaine. He stopped in front of the display case where a Warbler blazer was hung, along with a selection of coordinating bow ties. “A lighted exhibit case, really?” Blaine could hear the gentle snark in his tone. 

He turned back to dig through the cabinets some more, his stomach a jumble of knots. “Would you believe they retired my blazer? I figured I’d keep it in here; they wanted to hang it in the senior commons but I thought that would be too much.”

“Obviously,” Kurt said, walking toward Blaine. “So, any luck picking a song?”

“Well, I have a few piles on the desk already, I was just grabbing some other options.” He closed the cabinet drawer, sheet music in his hand. “I have them roughly divided up into Broadway, standard ‘American songbook’ stuff, and then more contemporary.”

“I see that,” Kurt nodded. “I put together a playlist and loaded it on my phone, in case you didn’t have sheet music for some of it.”

“Great! Let’s get started.” The two of them took the music to the common room and set it on the coffee table, designating a space for the reject pile.

Immediately, Blaine knew there was a problem. As he and Kurt sat on the leather couch, a flood of memories of tentative kisses and first time makeouts flooded his head.

“‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.’”

Blaine startled. “Um, what?”

“What about ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You?’ I’d bet you’d be great on the Frankie Valli version, but I have to say I’d be tempted to try Lauryn Hill’s for variety.”

“Oh, right,” Blaine stammered. “I don’t know about that one. We’ll say ‘maybe.’”

They resumed shuffling through the jumble of sheet music. Blaine spotted a title.

“Ooh, how about ‘As Long As You’re Mine’?”

“Um…” Kurt stalled. “I, uh…I can’t. I only sing  _Wicked_ songs with Rachel. It’s a rule.”

“But, didn’t Mercedes sing ‘Defying Gravity’ with you guys?”

“That was a one-time exception forced on us by Mr. Schue. Sorry, no  _Wicked_ ,” Kurt rattled off, the nerves evident in his voice.

“ _Ooookay_ …” Blaine said, deciding not to rattle the cage further.

More shuffling. “Aw, ‘I’ll Cover You!’” Kurt exclaimed. “I love that one.”

At this rate finding a duet that didn’t stir up old feelings was going to be _impossible_. “I, um, don’t think I have the range for Collins.”

“You  _totally_ have the range for Collins,” Kurt scoffed. “Wait, why would  _you_ get to be Collins? Why can’t  _you_ be Angel and  _I_ be Collins?”

Their discussion was interrupted by a ringtone that was not Blaine’s. _“Somebody misses you when you’re away, they wanna wake up with you everyday…”_

Kurt reached in his pocket and looked at the screen. “Oh, sorry, I have to take this…hello?” he said as he stood from the couch.

Blaine had liked what he heard, though he wasn’t familiar with the song. He ran back to his office and looked up the few lyrics he recalled.

A few minutes later, he was listening to the song on YouTube. It would be perfect, he thought. It was upbeat and fun, there was no previous personal meanings or memories, the ‘somebody’ was amorphous enough, and it could easily be a friendship kind of love…right?

Kurt’s head popped up in the doorway. “Hey, you disappeared on me. Sorry, um, that was one of my students. Apparently Madison has shot down all of Jane’s suggestions and vice-versa. I told them to call Rachel and have her pick.” He walked closer to Blaine’s desk . “What you got there?”

“I, um, liked the song you have as your ringtone. I haven’t heard it before, so I decided to look it up.”

“Oh yeah, Betty Who.  _Love_ her!” Kurt raved. “I just changed my default ringtone to ‘Somebody Loves You’ so that if it’s a blocked number or unknown caller, I just let it go to voicemail, and at least I get to listen to that song for a bit.”

“Well, the sheet music is online. What would you think of that being our duet?”

Kurt grinned. “Blaine, of course! Yes, we should totally do that one!”

Blaine smiled at Kurt’s enthusiasm. “Great, let me get the music off the printer and I’ll meet you by the piano.”

Kurt walked out the office door, “This is going to be fabulous! I can’t wait to _practice_!”

Blaine groaned and closed his eyes. This was going to be fabulous  _torture_.


	10. Ocean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place during 6.07, day after the kiss at Rachel’s.

He kissed Kurt.

He  _kissed Kurt_ , while still dating…no,  _living with_  Dave.

He kissed Kurt of his own free will and volition. No fake elevator traps, no threat of poison gas, no creepy JigSue. This was of  _his_  doing. And he feared what it meant.

So, he did what he had learned to do over time, when the threat of him drowning in an ocean of doubt and uncertainty was too overwhelming. He picked up his phone.

“Hi, Lima Mental Health Clinic? Do you have any appointments open today?”

Fortunately he was able to see his regular therapist, who had a cancellation. He laid on the lounge, taking a few deep breaths, and recounted the evening’s prior events.

“Does this make me a serial cheater? God, I cheated on Kurt, then I cheat on Dave,  _with_  Kurt, and I…part of me goes back to senior year when I just felt like a bad person.”

“Well Blaine, let’s go back to why you cheated that first time. We talked about this before but maybe it’s a good reminder for you to recall.”

“Because I had abandonment issues. The pressure to be perfect coupled with a need to please.  The compulsion to self-sabotage. I was lonely and didn’t have the support system I needed.”

“Okay, and what has changed since then? What’s different now?”

“I know what my issues are, I recognize them. I know I don’t have to be perfect. I’ve learned how to say no. I have a job I’m good at, friends and family that love and support me. I have…damnit I have Dave, and see? I’m right back to where we were.”

“Alright, let’s pull back. The first incident happened because you were lonely. A few weeks back, when you kissed Kurt in the elevator you felt coerced, but what else did you feel?”

“Like the old magic was back, like we were back at the start…but then, I felt _fear_.”

“Fear of what?”

“Of being hurt again. Being abandoned again.”

“So you went back to Dave, and things were good?”

“Um, yes? Kind of, but they weren’t the same. They couldn’t be the same.”

“Why not?”

“ _Because I still love Kurt!_ ” Blaine shouted, frustrated. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s alright,” the therapist said.

Blaine swallowed. “That’s the thing. In spite of it all, I still love Kurt, and I know he still loves me. When I kissed him last night, it was like old times, but it was also different, in a way?”

“Different how?”

“Before we kissed, we were talking about old memories, things that happened before we got together, when we were just friends. But it was as if we could look back with perspective that we didn’t have back then. Now I could see how insignificant and silly my crush on a way older guy was, and how utterly clueless I was about what was right in front of me. And Kurt was just…more open? I mean more honest than I’ve ever seen him. It was like a better version of us,  almost like we fixed things like we should have, instead of broken up.”

“But you  _are_  broken up.”

“Yes…and I’m with Dave now, and he’s sweet and funny and goofy and he’s such a great boyfriend, and he doesn’t deserve to get cheated on.”

The therapist was quiet for a moment, looking at her notes. “Blaine, you have talked about how much you love Kurt. You’ve also talked about your relationship with Dave, but not once have you used the word ‘love’ in relation to him. You need to ask yourself, do you  _love_  Dave?”

Blaine had to think about it. He was very fond of Dave; he loved spending time with him, living with him, having sex with him. And things were fine as long as he didn’t have to think about Kurt.

But now Kurt was  _everywhere_ , not just in Lima, but in McKinley, in Dalton, in that damn sheet music store, every time he heard a song, or saw a bird, or talked to Rachel or Sam or Brittany. And Dave he saw at home, on dates…but, he had to admit, not in his  _heart_. Not in his fantasies, not in his dreams.

Not in his future.

“Well, your hour is almost up,” the therapist said. “Do you want to make another appointment?”

Blaine stood up, stretched a little. “No,” he said. “Not now. Right now I need to go home and sort this out in my head. I think I might have some decisions to make.”


	11. Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place toward the end of 6.07, “Transitioning."

Kurt was distracted all through dinner.

He couldn’t stop thinking about Blaine running into the choir room earlier, which led to thinking of Blaine kissing him a few nights before, which led to remembering  _he still lived with Karofsky._  And he was on a date with Walter, a man he had been on a few dates with now. Maybe Walter wasn’t exactly the type of man Kurt would have pictured himself with, but he was witty, intelligent, and handsome in an authoritative, Giles-from-Buffy sort of way.

But he and Walter hadn’t quite progressed…intimately. They had finally kissed on their last date, a close-mouthed affair that had warmth, but not much heat. Kurt wondered who was holding back more…Walter, or himself?

“Well, this was lovely, but we really need to get going,” Rachel said, putting her napkin on the table. “We have a special private event back at McKinley we need to attend.”

“Yeah, one of our old classmates is doing a performance for Coach Beiste as a show of support,” Sam explained.

Walter nodded. “Oh yes, I heard about the vandalism incident from Kurt…it’s just awful. Your coach is lucky he has you helping him out.” They stood up from the table and started to make their way to the exit. “Kurt, do you want me to drop you off at your car?”

“No, that’s alright, I can ride with Sam and Rach since we’re all going the same direction anyway.”

“Well then, I’ll say my goodnights now,” Walter said, touching Kurt’s arm and leaning in to kiss him goodbye.

“What the hell?” Kurt heard a familiar voice say. He turned away Walter and came face to face with Dave Karofsky. “Kurt, what are you doing?”

“Um. I’m saying goodbye to my date,” Kurt said, raising his eyebrow and just now noticing a beefy-looking blonde standing very close to Karofsky’s side. “Who is this?”

“Can you both excuse us for a minute?” Karofsky motioned for Kurt to step away from the others for privacy, then muttered,  _“Never mind who he is, shouldn’t you be with Blaine right now?”_

_“What are you talking about, Dave, and who is that? Sure as hell isn’t Blaine.”_

“We broke up, okay?” Dave said a little louder than he intended. He lowered his voice again,  _“I knew it was just a matter of time before he realized he wanted you back. Last time I saw him he was on his way to see you, with my blessing.”_

Kurt’s mouth hung open. Damnit he knew he hadn’t come to talk to Rachel.

 _“Look, I don’t know what you have going on with that old guy, but talk to Blaine, okay? He looked so damn hopeful when he left the apartment. Just…don’t hurt him, okay?”_  Karofsky stepped back and returned to a normal tone of voice, “well, good to see you again Kurt. Come on, Craig, I think I see a table open.”

Karofsky and the other man walked away, leaving Kurt in a daze.

“Kurt?” He startled and turned, seeing Walter…ugh, sweet, amazing,  _but not-Blaine_ , Walter. “Are you alright?”

“Um, yeah,” Kurt nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’d better catch up with the others. I’ll talk to you tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow, then,” Walter said, kissing Kurt on the cheek and walking away.

Kurt got into the backseat of Sam’s car, and as they pulled away, Rachel and Sam discussing the performance they had planned for Sheldon, for the first time in a very long time, he genuinely felt hope…and it didn’t scare him.


	12. Passion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place after 6.07, post-”I Know Where I’ve Been.”

After saying goodbye to the trans choir, Sam and Spencer decided to take Sheldon out to a sports and wings place, leaving Kurt and Rachel in the choir room.

Rachel was stacking chairs when she decided to ask Kurt about something that had bugged her since dinner. “Hey, I meant to ask, what was that all about at Breadstix earlier? What did Karofsky say?”

Kurt laughed humorlessly. “Um…well, apparently, he and Blaine broke up.”

“ _What_?” Rachel’s jaw slacked open. “Oh, my  _God_  when did this happen?”

“Oh,” Kurt sighed as he sat down, “riiiiight before he came running to the choir room today.”

Rachel cringed, “Oh, shoot, and Walter was there, and we were all ready to go on our double date. God, Kurt, you even suggested he bring Dave and we make it a triple!”

“I know, Rachel, I know,  _God_  I feel so stupid,” Kurt said, looking down and shaking his head.

“But, wait. They broke up, and he came running right to you? He knows you’re seeing someone, so why did he come straight here?”

“Maybe because…he sort of kissed me after your party? Ow!”

Rachel hit him hard on the arm. “That party was  _days_  ago and you’re  _just_  now telling me this? Some kind of GBF you are Kurt Hummel!” She hit his arm again for emphasis.

Kurt rubbed his tricep, now tender. “Well excuse me for not running every moment of my love life by you in real time! Besides, you’ve been a little busy with a certain fishy-lipped football coach lately.”

“Hmm, true. Sam and I have gotten really close. But still, I need to hear everything!” Rachel pulled a chair next to Kurt. “So, what was it like? Who made the first move? What happened after? I’m guessing there weren’t any scary puppets making you do it this time.”

“No, there weren’t,” Kurt said. “It was right after our duet, which you missed by the way, don’t think I didn’t notice. Anyway, Blaine had to leave because he and Dave had to be up early the next day and I walked him out. And…it just felt like old times. I mean besides the reminder he was living with someone. We talked about old duets, Dalton, that guy Blaine got the Warblers to serenade. It was like junior year, getting to know him again, but…different.”

“Of course it’s different, Kurt,” Rachel said. “You’re both older, you’re wiser, you can look back and see things with a…more experienced perspective. Okay, so then what?”

“Then…he leaned in and kissed me. Right on the mouth. And I…just  _stood_ there. I didn’t know what to think, I didn’t expect it, but, it was everything I wanted. Like the passion was back.”

“I don’t think the passion ever left between you two,” Rachel scoffed. “I saw how you looked at each other at the Invitational, even before you told me what happened I  _knew_  something did. What did he do after that?”

Kurt sighed. “He left. No wait, before that, he had this look on his face, like he had done something wrong. Oh…oh,  _shoot_ , of course.”

“What ‘of course,’ Kurt?”

Kurt covered his face and talked into his hands, “He was still with Dave when he kissed me, which technically means in his mind that he cheated, and…oh God, poor Blaine.” And Kurt never thought he would use the terms  _Poor Blaine_ and  _cheated_  in the same sentence. “Dave said he was coming to see me with his  _blessing_. So I guess he told him and the breakup was mutual.” Kurt stood up and started to pace, his arms around himself. “I screwed up, Rach, I really did. What if he thinks I’ve moved on?”

Rachel came and hugged Kurt. “I don’t think he will. He probably just decided it was bad timing, or something.”

“So, what do I do now? Santana and Brittany’s wedding is in a few days, and Walter’s my plus one already! But then Blaine, and…Walter’s nice but he’s not Blaine. I want him back, Rachel. I  _really_  want him back.”

“Well then,” Rachel said, tilting his chin up and looking him in the eye. “Seems if he wants you back too…you get him back.”


	13. Regret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place between 6.07 and 6.08.

“Thanks for coming over to help me with the packing, Sam, I really appreciate it.”

“No problem, bro, glad to help.” Blaine let Sam into the apartment which was starting to fill rapidly with stacked boxes. Dave had moved out his things a few days before and with one less roommate Blaine realized he couldn’t pay the full rent. Besides, Brittany’s rainbow paint job was starting to give him night terrors.

As they stood at the kitchen bar wrapping dishes in bubble wrap, Blaine asked, “So, you and Rachel, huh?”

“Yeah, me and Rachel,” Sam smiled. “I mean, I don’t know how much of it had to do with Sue hypnotizing me into kissing her and then breaking her heart, which that part we never got to, but honestly I’ve felt a little something there since, gosh, when we took that trip to New York senior year and she helped me with my head shots?”

Blaine decided trying to wrap his head around the Sue of it all would be too much, so he ignored that part. “I noticed when we got the piano and sang Billy Joel in the loft. Kurt and Santana both said they sensed a little spark between you two.”

“Well, I mean it’s like you and Kurt. Even when you weren’t together sparks flew between you guys. Speaking of Kurt, why isn’t he here helping you out?”

“Um, we aren’t together,” Blaine said, sadness evident in his voice. “Kurt’s dating that Walter guy, remember?”

Sam looked confused. “But, he knows about you and Karofsky.”

“Since when?”

“Since we ran into Karofsky that night at Breadstix; he told Kurt about the whole thing.”

Blaine dropped the bubble wrap in the box. “He knows? Well then, why haven’t I heard from him?”

Sam put down the plate he had been wrapping. “Um, he’s been kind of busy? We had to run to the performance for Beiste that night, Brittany roped him into wedding planning, then he and Rachel have been getting Mr. Schue up to speed on the Super Ultra New Directions…”

“Super Ultra?”

“I got tired of saying ‘New’ so many times. Anyway, Rachel says that Kurt hasn’t changed his mind, he wants you back…he’s just scared.”

Blaine walked to the sofa and sat down. “I guess I can’t blame him. We broke up twice; who’s to say it won’t happen again?”

Sam came around the other side of the counter and sat on one of the bar stools. “Yeah, but come on! You guys are like…Han and Leia! Mal and Inara! Jack and Ianto!”

“Um, Jack and Ianto did  _not_  turn out well, remember?”

Sam shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. Dude, I’m telling you, you two are meant to be. Remember when you proposed, and you said you were meant to meet in every lifetime?”

“Sam, that was me being a…stupid, over-romantic teenager.”

“No, no no no, now you see,” Sam slipped into a Matthew McConaughey impression, causing Blaine to smile. “ _Time is a flat circle. Everything we’ve ever done or will do, we’re gonna do over and over and over again._  You guys might break up again, but you’ll find your way back to each other every time. You just watch; when the time is right, Kurt will bust through that door, declaring his love for you.”

“Okay, I…okay,” Blaine sighed. “I’m so glad I asked you to come over today, Sam. I’ve regretted a lot of stuff over these last few months, and I think one of the biggest regrets was letting our friendship lag. I really missed this.”

“Aw, I missed you too, bro,” Sam said, as they both stood up and hugged. Sam pulled back and patted Blaine on the shoulder. “Now come on, let’s take a break. You, um, didn’t pack the X-Box already, did you?”


	14. Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place in 6.08, "A Wedding" before the Lima Bean and reunion.

Kurt couldn’t sleep.

He hadn’t had a restful night’s sleep since finding out about Blaine and Dave’s breakup, and helping Brittany with wedding setup at the barn, and her comments about Blaine and Walter and weddings just stirred up the confusion even more.

He turned and looked at the clock.  _One a.m._  He hadn’t heard from Blaine since that day in the choir room, and it worried him. Blaine probably thought he had moved on, and God knows he had  _tried_.

 _Two a.m._ Walter was sweet, but Kurt just couldn’t see anything more than friendship with him. And Walter had spent enough time in the closet…it wasn’t fair to have him think he had a chance with someone whose heart belonged to another. He deserved a man (maybe one closer to his age) that could give him everything.

 _Three a.m._  Kurt accepted that Blaine would always have his heart. There was no replacing him, no rebound. Blaine was the love of his life. He was worth all the pain they had gone through, all the fighting, all the petty arguments. Worth pushing Kurt to talk to someone, to learn how to let his walls down and love unselfishly, openly. He supposed it helped Blaine as well, in a way; he’d told Kurt about his own therapist, and how he had learned to say no, to accept imperfections. Perhaps enough time had passed for them to mature, on their own, so they could be better partners to each other.

 _Four a.m._  God, he hated it when his brain wouldn’t shut off, especially when he couldn’t do anything about his dilemma. Too late to call Walter to cancel their date. Too early to call Blaine to ask him to accompany him to the wedding, and maybe even to take him back.

At 5:24 a.m., he made his decision. When he met Walter at the Lima Bean in a few hours, he would break it off, and tell him he was going to the wedding with Blaine. Then he would go to Blaine’s, and ask him to be his date after the fact. If he said no, he would attend the wedding solo, no harm, no foul. But he  _really_ wanted a yes.

He just hoped he hadn’t run out of time.


	15. Underneath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place during 6.08, "A Wedding," a continuation of the reunion kiss.

Blaine would laugh, if he wasn’t too busy kissing Kurt right now. He would have to ask Sam someday if he was psychic, because just like he said he would, Kurt came tearing through the door, saying “I love you,  _I still love you…_ ”

He never stopped. That little word, one syllable,  _still_ , meant everything to Blaine. That in spite of the breakup, of every effort to move on, Kurt’s love had never, ever paused.

 _“There’s no one else…”_  He hoped Kurt knew what he meant by that, as he walked them backward into the bedroom. Not “there’s no one else at the moment.” Not “there’s no one else taking me to the wedding.” But there is  _no_ one else, will never  _be_  anyone else, cannot  _ever_  be anyone else. Kurt is his past, his here and now, his future and forever.

 _There’s no one else_ …as Kurt pulled his bowtie out of his collar and stripped him out of his polo shirt, he felt sad for a moment that there had, in fact been other “elses.” But he needed those, to learn what he did and didn’t want or need, to grow, to fly, and ultimately to come back down to earth, to a safer landing.

 _There’s no one else_ …Blaine unbuttoned Kurt’s shirt and vest, slipped them from his shoulders, spread him underneath him on the bed, kissed him fervently, zealously, intensely, and swore he would never let him go ever again.

What seemed like hours (or at least a commercial break) later, they snuggled under the covers.

“So, does this mean we’re back together?” Blaine asked.

“I certainly hope so,” Kurt said. “Otherwise I ran all the way from the Lima Bean and sweated through a Paul Smith for nothing.”

“Well, what about the wedding?”

“I’m going to guess that what we just did at least meant ‘Yes, I will go with you?’”

“Of course it does, but I meant,  _our_  wedding,” Blaine said as he sat up. “We didn’t just break up, we broke off an engagement. What happens now?”

Kurt sighed. “I don’t know. Can we not think of that right now? Can we just be together, and save that conversation for another day?”

Before Blaine could answer… _”I’m a, a diva, I’m a, I’m a, a diva… “_

“That’s Tina,” Blaine said. “Hold that thought.” He dug through his clothes on the floor, finding his phone underneath. “Hey Queen T, what’s up?

Kurt smiled and started to get dressed. He didn’t mind the temporary interruption.


	16. Anniversary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place in the commercial break after “But? But what?” in 6.08, “A Wedding”

“But?” Kurt asked anxiously. “But what?”

Blaine looked up at the love of his life…he would always be that, no matter how hard he tried to deny it…and then looked around at the three other sets of eyes upon them. “Um, ladies…and Sue? Can we have a moment by ourselves, please?”

“Of course,” Sue said. “Besides, we ‘ve posted guards at all the windows and doors so you couldn’t escape if you tried.” Sue, Santana, and Brittany stepped out, Brittany whispering  _“say yes, say yes!”_  to the two men as she passed by them.

When the door shut, Blaine swallowed and looked back at Kurt. “Look…I’m going to be honest, I  _want_  to marry you. I want to marry you  _yesterday_! I want to spend the rest of my life loving you and not waste one minute more. But, Kurt if you aren’t ready, if you’re  _never_  ready,” Blaine shook his head and looked down, “I’ll…I’ll understand.”

Kurt sighed, and said, “You’re right. I’m not ready.” Blaine raised his head. “I don’t think I’ll ever be ready.”

Blaine blinked and started to pull his hands away. “I…well, okay…”

Kurt held on tighter. “But what the hell IS ready, anyway? Was I ready to go to New York without a plan? For Dad to get sick? Was I ready when I ran into an alleyway not knowing what would happen? Were we ready to lose Finn? I’m _tired_  of waiting to be  _ready_ , Blaine.” Kurt looked over at the mannequins. “Besides, it’d be a shame to waste those tuxes…say what you will about Sue but she really outdid herself. Exactly what I would have picked.”

“Yeah, me too.” Blaine felt Kurt’s eyes beckoning him back..

“Blaine?”

“Yes?”

Kurt took a breath. “Will you marry me?”

Blaine laughed wetly, “yes,  _yes_  Kurt, I will!” He leaped into Kurt’s arms and buried his face in his neck, his tears wet on Kurt’s collar.

Kurt thought of something, and laughed.

“What?” Blaine asked.

“You know what today is?”

“Um, November 9th?  _Oh_ , it’s the anniversary of the day we met!”

Kurt nodded. “Yep, and about the time we made love for the first time, too…you think they knew when they set their wedding date?”

“If Sue had anything to do with all of this,  _absolutely_.”


	17. Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place during the reception in 6.08, “A Wedding.”

After Artie’s performance, Kurt was back at his and Blaine’s table, waiting for the dessert course, when Santana pulled him by the hand.

“Come on, Legolas, we have an emergency.”

Kurt sighed...Santana would never stop with the nicknames. He accepted this, and besides, now newly married he was too happy to care. He went with her to a side room in the barn where Brittany and Blaine were waiting.

“Um, okay,” Kurt asked, “what’s up?”

“What’s _up_ ,” Santana said, “is that we didn’t plan this double gay wedding thing all the way through. I mean, I’m glad we finally got you and Frodo hitched, cause you two and your on-and-off, will-they-or-won’t-they shtick was giving me migraines.”

“And I think Santana already eats too much fiber,” Brittany said.

“Anyway, we were able to get the tuxes, the rings, an extra grooms’ table...heck, we finagled Blaine’s mom to come under the guise of her doing our makeup and buying some Mary Kay swag.”

“But,” Brittany added, “we forgot about our duet, which I now know isn’t a blanket.”

“Yeah, we were going to sing this Amy Winehouse cover that I love. And now it’s just gonna look bougie if you guys don’t sing, too.”

Blaine looked at Kurt. “What do you think? Wanna give ‘Come What May’ a go?”

Kurt thought about it. The song had been part of his fantasy wedding, when his and Blaine’s romance was a fairy tale. Now, it didn’t feel right.

“Santana,” Kurt asked, “what’s the song you and Brittany planned to do?”

“It’s called ‘Our Day Will Come.’”

Kurt thought back to another day in their lives. One in which they sat in a circle, imagining the future. He smiled at how much had come true...his dad was making a difference, Santana made amends with her grandmother, even Blaine’s wish for equal marriage in all 50 states looked close to happening. And he thought of who had brought them to that circle in the first place...David. Yes, it hurt when he was dating Blaine, but oddly he was still happy for him, that he was finally able to accept and embrace his truth. 

 _Our day will come_ had a nice ring to it.

“You know, we’re already sharing a wedding day,” Kurt said. “You think you two would mind if we turned your duet into a quartet?”

“Wait, can Kurt make gemstones now?” Brittany whispered.

“I could look at the music, rearrange the voice parts,” Blaine offered. “Would that be okay?”

Santana and Brittany looked at the grooms, then at each other, and nodded. Santana shrugged. “Why the hell not?”


	18. Kink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place after 6.08 “A Wedding” and assume during 6.09 “Child Star.”

When Blaine and Kurt came home from Sue’s “Honeymoon Showcase Showdown,” they immediately called the travel agency to rebook their honeymoon.

“Hard to believe Sue completely overlooked the fact there was a kink in her plan, [spelling Andrew Sullivan’s name wrong](http://hedwig-darren.tumblr.com/post/134813105807/now-that-its-finally-in-my-hands-i-can-post). Who knows what type of cabana it would have been? Probably the kind with hidden cameras and a live stream,” Kurt shuddered as he began to toss the glittery envelope in the trash.

“No wait!” Blaine ran over and took it from Kurt’s hand. “I wanna save it.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“It’s a souvenir…we’ll put it in the scrapbook, right next to the pictures we’ll take of our actual honeymoon.”

Kurt smiled and kissed his new husband. “Oh honey, you say that as if we’ll do any sightseeing. And the kind of pictures we would take are  _not_ the kind we want to put in a scrapbook for anyone to see.”

“Mr. AnderHummel you kinky devil you,” Blaine giggled.

Kurt shook his head. “Do we really want to use that last name?”

“I don’t know…I kinda like it,” Blaine said. He started to pull Kurt toward the bedroom, “but if you want to persuade me to change my mind…”

Kurt followed willingly. “As Santana would say,  _wanky_ …”


	19. Legend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place at the start of 6.10, "The Rise and Fall of Sue Sylvester" with an alternate staging of "Rather Be."

Looking across the balcony at a New England sunrise, Kurt breathed in the salty sea air as he cradled a warm coffee mug in his hand. Imagining violins playing a joyful tune, he opened his mouth, letting the breeze carry his voice:

_“We’re a thousand miles from comfort, we have traveled land and sea  
But as long as you are with me, there’s no place I’d rather be”_

He felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist. As Blaine nuzzled his morning stubble against Kurt’s cheek, he continued:

_“I would wait forever, exalted in the scene  
As long as I am with you, my heart continues to beat”_

He turned in Blaine’s arms, and kissed him softly. Blaine led his new husband back inside, ready to start a day of sightseeing in Provincetown, and picked up the bridge:

_“With every step we take, Kyoto to The Bay  
Strolling so casually”_

Kurt grabbed the day bag and opened the hotel room door, pulling Blaine out into the hallway and joining him in harmony:

_“We’re different and the same, gave you another name  
Switch up the batteries”_

When Sue had cancelled their original honeymoon they found it nearly impossible to rebook; still, the idea of Provincetown was a good idea, so they managed to find a good deal on a boutique hotel for a week. They had spent the first couple of days of their honeymoon firmly ensconced in their hotel room and ordering room service, but they had eventually decided they needed to explore the town. With the official Provincetown app loaded on their phones they were off:

 _“If you gave me a chance I would take it_  
_It’s a shot in the dark but I’ll make it_  
 _Know with all of your heart, you can’t shame me_  
 _When I am with you, there’s no place I’d rather be”_

They walked hand in hand, exchanging kisses and touches as they strolled the streets; it was a relaxing change of pace from Sectionals prep, no written agendas or schedules to hurry them. Kurt pulled Blaine into shops and art galleries, and they had fun trying on hats and other accessories, some silly, others much more their style.

The next thing they knew, they were at one of the legendary lighthouses. Blaine pulled Kurt inside one of them as he sang:

_“We staked out on a mission to find our inner peace  
Make it everlasting so nothing’s incomplete.”_

When they came out later, both were disheveled, straightening out their clothes and hair.

_“It’s easy being with you, sacred simplicity  
As long as we’re together, there’s no place I’d rather be”_

That night they had a candlelit dinner, then headed to a show at the Post Office Cabaret, where Kurt had gotten tickets to [Electra: Living the Legends](https://youtu.be/qSScgIKWgoU), a celebrity tribute and drag show. They laughed hysterically as the humorous and spot-on impressions of Judy Garland, Lucille Ball, Bette Midler, Lady Gaga and more.

 _“If you gave me a chance I would take it_  
_It’s a shot in the dark but I’ll make it_  
 _Know with all of your heart, you can’t shame me_  
 _When I am with you, there’s no place I’d rather be”_

They practically ran back to the hotel, filled with a second burst of energy from the day they’d had. Kurt threw himself into Blaine’s arms, undressing both of them along the way, and Blaine turned to make sure the “Do Not Disturb” sign was hung on the door.

_“When I am with you, there’s no place I’d rather be.”_

The next morning, they were startled awake by the phone in their room. Kurt leaned across Blaine’s body to pick up the receiver.

“ _‘llo?_ ” he said groggily. “No, I understand he’s right here.” He looked at Blaine, concerned. “It’s the front desk. They said they have an emergency call for you? I wonder why they didn’t try your cell?”

“That’s because we turned them off, remember? If they’re calling us here it must be important,” he said, taking the receiver from Kurt. “Yes, this is Blaine Anderson…” While he was on the phone Kurt took the opportunity to go to the bathroom to freshen up. When he returned, it was to Blaine packing.

“Kurt, good…get your things, we have to go.” he seemed hurried, upset.

“Blaine, what is it? Is it your Mom, is it Cooper?” He took Blaine’s hands and could feel him shaking.

“No, it’s Dalton,” Blaine said, his voice watery. “It…it’s  _gone_.”


	20. Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place during 6.10, "The Rise and Fall of Sue Sylvester" (natural progression from previous chapter, "Legend").

Once they had landed back in Ohio, their honeymoon cut short, Kurt and Blaine started the drive back home. They passed the highway marker that said “Westerville 1 Mile.”

“Kurt, can we go by Dalton?”

Kurt glanced at his husband before focusing his eyes back on the road. “Are you sure? We’ve been traveling all day, we’re both exhausted, I just thought we would go tomorrow.”

“ _No_.” Blaine was vehement. “I need to see it with my own eyes. It just won’t seem real to me until I do.”

“Okay, we’ll go,” Kurt said quietly, turning at the exit.

When they arrived at the Dalton gates they both gasped. The administrators weren’t being facetious when they said it was a total loss. The roof had caved in, and only a couple of walls were still barely standing. They could see part of the spiral staircase where they had met, the wrought iron warped and the wooden rails scorched. The air was still heavy with the haze and smell of smoke.

Blaine squeezed his eyes shut, took a few deep breaths to calm himself and will away the tears building behind his eyelids. He felt Kurt clutching his hand, heard him sniff. Kurt had insisted that Dalton didn’t mean as much to him anymore, especially after the things Sebastian and Hunter had done, but Blaine knew he was still affected.

Suddenly he heard Kurt gasp out “Pavarotti!”

Blaine’s eyes shot open at the same time Kurt pulled him towards the woods behind the property, running at a breakneck speed. By now the sun was setting, the moon starting to appear in the twilight sky, imprinting long shadows across. With the dim light he still could recognize the trees ahead…one in particular.

They slowed, Kurt never letting go of his hand. They approached the tree, and both breathed a sigh of relief. Pavarotti’s grave and marker were still there, undisturbed.

“Remember, when we came out here after Regionals to bury Pavarotti, and I told you I was sad we lost?”

“Yes.”

“And you told me how we got each other out of all this?” He turned and took Blaine’s face in his hands. “That’s still true. You may not have Dalton anymore, but you still have me.”

Blaine finally fell into Kurt’s arms and sobbed; clutching onto him, they both sank to the ground, the moon’s light illuminating them. Kurt softly began to sing into Blaine’s hair, “ _Blackbird singing in the dead of night…_ ”


	21. Competition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place during 6.10, “The Rise and Fall of Sue Sylvester,” shortly after we learn Dalton burned down.

After a long day of talking with insurance adjusters, bargaining with school administrators, and trying to reassure upset Warblers and their parents, Blaine collapsed into bed and into his husband’s arms.

Kurt kissed the top of his head. “Try to get some rest tonight, B. It’s been an exhausting day for both of us.”

Blaine sighed. “I don’t know if I’m going to be able to. It’s just that it’s so close to Sectionals and now our competition season ends before it could really start.”

“What, the ‘Sue Sylvester Invitational’ doesn’t count?”

“I know your sarcastic voice, Mr. Anderson-Hummel…”

“...Hummel-Anderson…”

“...and it’s one of the many things I love about you, and no, it doesn’t count. I just...things were really looking up for a while and this just feels like I failed them in some way.”

“Hey, you did NOT fail those kids. You had nothing to do with the decades-old wiring in that building that should have been upgraded ages ago. And at least you had a realistic shot. We’re only a couple of weeks away from competition and we still don’t even have enough to compete.”

Blaine was hit with an idea. “Maybe I can get you enough.”

“What?”

Blaine shot out of bed with a renewed energy and ran to his bookshelf, coming back with the Show Choir Rule Book and flipping to the page he was looking for. “My kids need to transfer to a school temporarily anyway, I don’t see why they can’t transfer to McKinley and join the New Directions!”

Kurt perked up. “That _would_ give us more than enough, and I don’t see how it could be an issue. We both transferred schools and show choirs with no problems. I’ve just never seen it done en masse. But we would _have_ to run it by Rachel and Mr. Schue.”

“Of course, but I gotta say I think they’ll be okay with it, if it means they can compete. We’ll call them first thing in the morning.” Blaine put the book down on the night stand, smiled and kissed Kurt.

Kurt hummed into the kiss. “Mmmm, you have the best ideas. And I know from personal experience that combining Warblers and New Directions has been pretty successful on the micro-level.”

Blaine nodded, “Yes, it has...wait, was that a short joke?”

“Come back here and kiss me again, fellow co-director.”


	22. Number

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place midway during 6.10 shortly after the show choir merger.

While Rachel and Mr. Schue were completely on board with merging the two show choirs, the members of said choirs weren’t convinced. Jane was bitter about welcoming a group of boys that had rejected her mere months before. Kitty knew logically these weren’t the ‘roided up Warblers of her sophomore year, but she was still wary. And everyone was just a little distrustful of someone coming in who had previously been competition.

Blaine and Kurt thought that they could find a number the two choirs could perform together, as an exercise in unity. But they were at a total loss, sitting in Kurt’s old room surrounded by sheet music.

“Through the Fire?” Kurt read off a page.

“Ugh, no, too on point.”

“With a Little Help from My Friends?”

“Hmmm, Roderick could pull off the Joe Cocker version, but I don’t think Skylar could. No, it needs to be a true group number, something that symbolizes...I don’t know, maybe rebirth?”

Kurt thought a moment. “What about writing an original song? This is going to be a new show choir, new vibe, new goals...why saddle them with singing something old?”

Blaine could have kissed Kurt in that moment...so he did. “You are a genius, I am so glad I married you! Now...what do we write about?”

“Hah, don’t look at me,” Kurt said. “I wasn’t there when Schue turned the New Directions into Tin Pan Alley, remember? You, on the other hand, already have experience arranging songs. I’m sure writing an original would be nothing.”

“Yeah, but still, I feel like having a co-writer would help. Hmmm, what about Rachel?”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “Oh  _yeah_ , you’d have a rousing performance of  _‘My Blazer.’_ ”

Blaine thought for a moment, then smiled. “I know exactly who can help.” He grabbed his phone and searched his contacts until he found the name and number he needed.

“Hi, this is Marley.”

“Well, hello Miss Marley Rose.”

“Blaine! Oh my God it’s so good to hear from you. You know Unique told me congratulations are in order. I should really be mad that you didn’t invite us to your wedding but I understand it wasn’t exactly planned.”

“Thank you, Marley. I really wish you guys had been there, too. But hey, we’ll figure out a time to get together, have a ‘New New Directions’ reunion!”

“Yeah, Kitty told me there’s another ‘New’ to add to that. maybe even two?”

“Oh, she told you, huh?”

“Yes, she did. I’m so sorry about the fire, Blaine, it sounds awful!”

“It was, but we’re handling it the best we can.”

“So, I get the feeling you didn’t just call me to gossip. What can I do?”

“Tell me, Marley, are you still writing songs?”

“Actually, I think I’m writing more now than I ever did. Maybe it’s being away from you guys, being in another new school, but I’ve gotten really productive.”

“Good, because...I need a collaborator. I want to write a song, maybe for Sectionals, maybe just as an exercise, but something that will help bring these kids together.”

“I’d love to help, Blaine! So, when you do want to start?”

“Um, how about now?”

“Uh, sure! I don’t have a lot of homework and I’d love something to get my mind off biology for a while.”

Kurt mouthed to Blaine, “I’ll be in the other room. Good luck!”

Blaine nodded, then put Marley on speaker and set the phone next to his keyboard. “Okay, um...gosh, I’m just realizing that I haven’t really done this a lot. I don’t think strumming a guitar with Elliot singing ‘Glitter Rock Vampire’ really counts as songwriting per se.”

“Well, first things first. What do you want to say?”

“That we’ll make it? That maybe it feels impossible now, but that the fire didn’t completely destroy the Warblers, that we’ll...God, I don’t know…”

“Rise from the ashes?” Marley suggested.

Blaine grinned. “Yeah, yeah that sounds good.”


	23. Vow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place between 6.10 and 6.11, "We Built This Glee Club."

Kurt and Blaine were curled up on the sofa, watching “Top Chef.” When a commercial break came on, Kurt took the remote and muted the TV.

“So, I was thinking,” Kurt said.

“About how Padma was a little harsh on that last critique?”

“Well, no but now that you said it she was a bit. No, I was thinking…we’re married now, and soon I’ll be going back to NYADA for my final year. Have you given any thought to what you’re going to do? I mean, you  _are_  coming back to New York with me…”

“Of course.”

“…and I thought, maybe you would consider reapplying to NYADA? I mean, we don’t have to take all the same classes, and maybe Rachel will come back too? The McKinley Three, ruling the NYADA hallways again.”

“I, um, actually wanted to talk to you about that,” Blaine said. He got up, walked over to his satchel, and pulled out an envelope.

Kurt took it out of Blaine’s offering hand and read the contents. “You got into NYU? Blaine, that’s incredible!” he said, hugging his husband. “But wait, when did you have time to apply?”

“Actually, I applied a while ago,” Blaine said. “When Rachel came back from L.A., after she lost everything, it got me thinking about what I wanted my future to look like. And while I was comfortable with Dalton and, well, Dave…sorry.” Kurt stroked his shoulder, a silent affirmation. “Anyway, I remembered New York was still the dream. Not just our dream… _mine_.”

“NYADA, I think, was just too much,” Blaine continued. “It wasn’t just the idea of running into you all the time, or my depression. I think the environment overall wasn’t the best for me. So I looked into other schools. And if I went to NYU it wouldn’t just be theatre…I love acting and singing, but I found out this year I also love teaching, and songwriting, and so many other things. I think NYU will open up more opportunities for me.”

“So, wait, this means you applied for NYU…while you were still with Dave?”

“Um, yeah…actually, we sort of had an argument about it,” Blaine said. “I mean, we made up at the time, but I’m pretty sure that was Dave’s first hint that we were going to be temporary.”

Kurt nodded. “Well, I’m sad we won’t have any more classes together.”

“Maybe, but just think about it. When we both come home to each other at the end of the day, we’ll have so many things to talk about. The classes we’re taking, the books we’re reading…”

“The gossip will be a lot fresher,” Kurt smiled.

“This way we’ll still have our New York experience, but together and on our own.” Blaine took Kurt’s hand. “What did we vow to each other?”

“That we’re works in progress?”

“That, and that we would walk into the sun together. Well guess what? The sun isn’t out 24 hours a day. I think being separate individuals that come together at the end of the day will make us stronger.”

Kurt leaned in and kissed Blaine. “How did I get such a smart, thoughtful husband?”

“Honestly? A lot of heartache, a lot of therapy, some growing up. But it was worth it.”

Kurt picked the remote back up to unmute the TV. “Same,” he said. “Worth it all.”


	24. Yesterday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place during 6.13, "Dreams Come True."

Tracy Hummel-Anderson was only a few months old and already knew a lot of things. She knew who was Daddy and who was Papa. She knew Auntie Rachel and Uncle Jesse, Grandpa Burt and Grandma Carole and Grandma Pam. She knew that Papa gave Margaret Thatcher Dog to Daddy a long time ago, and that Daddy then gave Margaret Thatcher Dog to her (well, she saw Margaret Thatcher Dog and reached for her and wouldn’t let her go and Daddy finally relented).

She couldn’t talk, but Tracy Hummel-Anderson knew a lot. She knew that yesterday her daddies took her on a special trip. She knew that the plane was really loud, and it made her ears pop and it hurt, and she was happy when they finally carried her off. They all then piled into Grandpa Burt’s car; there was a lot of talk about a special party the next day and about “Uncle Finn.” She hoped she would get to meet him.

She didn’t, but she did meet a _lot_ of other Aunts and Uncles. Tina and Kitty and Unique and Mercedes and Quinn and Emma and Lauren, Jake and Ryder and Will and Dave and Joe and Sheldon and Matt. Santana and Brittany held her and promised a “friend” for her very soon. Uncle Sam twirled her like an airplane and made silly voices. There was a lady named Terri who tried to pick her up; she screamed loud enough that Papa came right away.

“Daddy and I have to go sing now, but we’re leaving you in good hands, okay? We promise we’ll be back soon!”

Tracy hoped they didn’t mean that scary blonde lady in the tracksuit. She smiled when she saw a pretty lady with long light brown hair and kind eyes, look down on her and coo.

“Who is Tracy’s favorite auntie? Which auntie was willing to miss the dedication so she could kiss your widdle toes, and sing you songs? That’s right, Auntie Marley!”

“Quit bogarting the baby, Disney Princess. It’s Uncle Bas’s turn.”

“Ugh, fine Sebastian. I still don’t know why you got invited.”

“Hey, I declared bygones with the New Directions ages ago…I helped with Kurt and Blaine’s engagement, remember?”

“An engagement that got broken off.”

“And then they got married anyway, so in a very long-winded roundabout way I am partially responsible for the creation of this little darling right here. You are darling, aren’t you? You’re gonna be a little heartbreaker.”

“Don’t put that gendered stuff on her! Don’t listen to him, Tracy; Uncle Bas is a bad influence. He’ll probably try to take you to a bar or something.”

“Just don’t meet him in a dark parking garage.”

“Hey, you’re that Irish kid! When did you get here?”

“Just now. I got here too late for the song, but at least I’ll get to see everyone later. And who’s this pretty little lass?”

“Kurt and Blaine’s kid. Tracy, this is your Uncle Rory from Ireland.”

“Oh, you must be the ‘leprechaun’ that Brittany kept talking about! I’m Marley.”

Tracy liked this new uncle that talked a little funny. She liked them all, even the one that looked a little like Timon from that Lion King movie Daddy showed her. And they all seemed to like her too. But she still wanted to see her favorite faces; maybe if she fussed just a little…

“Uh oh, I think someone wants her daddies,” the pretty one said.

Soon Daddy’s face was right there. “There’s my girl! Thanks for watching Tracy for us…Kurt’s still out there talking to Will and Emma. We’re thinking playdate with their kids while we’re here, aren’t we sweetie?”

Tracy wasn’t sure what a playdate was but Daddy seemed excited about it. Meanwhile more of her aunts and uncles started to come in and fuss over her and give her lots of attention. She was starting to get sleepy though.  

“Blaine, we ready to go?” Good, Papa was there! He always sang the best lullabies. Both her daddies did.

“Yeah. I think it’s time to put Tracy down for a nap.”

“I think so too…let’s get her back to Mom and Dad’s. A princess needs her beauty rest.”

Princess Tracy yawned, safe in her world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments, asks and kudos; I hope you've enjoyed the scenes and it's helped fill a few gaps from the final season for you!


End file.
